International
Tuba Day

The History of International Tuba Day

As listed in Chases Annual Events, International Tuba Day was created to
recognize tubists in musical organizations around the world who have to
go through the hassle of handling a tuba. What hassles do tubists
have? Tuba players obviously have hassles due to the size and weight of
their instruments, but what is actually more of a hassle for tuba players
is the prevalence of stereotyped attitudes among people towards tubists
and their role in a musical organization.

Think for a minute: What does the tuba mean to you? Unfortunately, many non-tuba
players think of the tuba as just being one of those big, loud instruments
that go "oompah" in the back of parades - having no real importance and
being easy to play - they're just there to look nice. As for tuba players,
many people view them in the old stereotyped way: they have no real musical
talent, no personality, just big, fat bodies with puffy cheeks and powerful
lungs.

Therefore, International
Tuba Day was created for both tuba players and non-tuba players alike.
If you don't play the tuba and feel as described above, International
Tuba Day is your day to learn more about the significance of the tuba
in our musical society. It's your day to see how the tuba is the backbone
of the band with the capability of playing much more than just "oompah!"
More importantly, International Tuba Day is your day to recognize the
tuba player as being a talented master of musical performance who physically
comes in all different shapes and sizes. Of course, if you do play the
tuba, International Tuba Day is your day to sit back, relax, and enjoy
your much deserved recognition!

Joel
Day founded International Tuba Day in 1979 while attending Lower Merion
High School in suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Being one of only
two tuba players in the band and finding a lack of respect from his fellow
classmates, he decided to set a day aside for our recognition as reputable
musicians. Joel went on to study at Millersville University,
where he established very popular International Tuba Day celebrations that continued for
close to twenty years.

Since its inception,
International Tuba Day has been celebrated around the world in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and in the American
states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,
Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina,
North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia,
Washington, and Wisconsin. In 1986, the Millersville University celebration in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania was photographed to
appear in the number one best selling book A Day in the Life of America.